Chapter 24: Chapter 24: It’s Normal to Have a Competitive Streak When You’re Young
Sidestepping the shuriken aimed directly at his face, Gin sighed as he watched the boy in front of him panting heavily.
Just moments ago, the kid squatting outside his house had, without a word, whipped out a handful of shuriken and thrown them at him.
Thanks to his high 10-point taijutsu stat, Gin easily dodged the attack.
Seeing his sneak attack fail, the boy—who looked just like Sasuke—gritted his teeth and threw another handful of shuriken at him.
"Is this how you welcome your dear big cousin, Izuna?" Gin quipped, recognizing the boy from memory.
Uchiha Izuna, second son of Tajima, future tragic brother of Uchiha Madara. Incredibly talented but far too proud, he would one day die young after a certain white-haired fox stole his eyes, setting off a chain of events that led to Madara's rinnegan and the plot of the series.
Right now though, he was just a ten-year-old little brother in full-on brother-complex mode.
"Damn it, when did you get this strong?!"
Seeing his attacks keep missing, Izuna's little brows furrowed as he reached for his empty ninja pouch and shouted in frustration.
"How am I strong? I've been like this for years. Maybe you should reflect on yourself—has your chakra even grown? Have you been training properly?" Gin replied, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Damn you!"
Completely red with rage from the verbal jab, Izuna ignored the gap in their strength and drew a short sword, charging straight at Gin.
But Gin easily sidestepped again, calling out playfully, "You sure about this, little bro?!"
Hearing that annoying voice, Izuna's eyes turned red in anger.
"What? You're even activating your Sharingan already?" Gin teased, almost laughing.
Izuna was shaking with fury. Four years ago, his brother Madara, at ten years old, had trounced his older cousin in a match. That day had left a deep impression on the young Izuna.
Now, at the same age, he wanted to prove he could match his brother by defeating his older cousin as well.
But he hadn't expected his usually useless cousin to be this strong.
Resolute, Izuna formed hand seals quickly:
Mi → Hitsuji → Saru → I → Uma → Tora
The signature Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique).
He puffed his cheeks and exhaled a massive fireball several meters across toward Gin.
Panting, he watched to see how Gin would deal with his ace move.
Feeling the heat blast against his curled hair, Gin glanced at the groceries and his little "accessory" Senju Itama behind him and reluctantly raised his hands to meet the attack head-on.
Gathering chakra into his fists, he swung into the fireball. With his monstrous strength, the blazing fireball was actually dispersed by the shockwave of his punch.
Seeing Gin take it head-on, Izuna screamed, "Are you crazy?! Dodge it!"
A spar was one thing, but seriously injuring a clan member was taboo—especially his cousin.
Feeling the burning heat on his fists, Gin decided it was time and struck the fireball hard, scattering it with a dull roar. He then theatrically flung himself back, "rolling" across the ground before going still.
Izuna panicked and rushed over, lifting Gin's upper body to check on him.
"Cousin! Don't die! I'll get a doctor!"
Gin cracked one eye open weakly and rasped, "Not bad at all, my little brother. That fireball of yours… had some of the clan head's bite to it. Cough cough."
Izuna froze in place as Gin praised him, then added, "You've already caught up to me. I'm proud of you… This time I lost, but next time… I'll challenge you again."
"Hmph! I'll be waiting!" Izuna huffed proudly, wiping his teary eyes.
"Mission failed. Earned 10 willpower points. Three more battles needed to unlock Steel Heart chest. (Current willpower: 10.)"
Hearing the familiar system chime, Gin smiled faintly. Such a fine little leek—he had to cultivate him properly.
After standing up, Izuna insisted on taking Gin to a doctor, but Gin brushed him off, saying, "A mere scratch. I've taken worse on missions."
Hearing this, Izuna looked at his cousin with newfound respect.
"So why did you challenge me today?" Gin asked casually as they gathered up the scattered shuriken.
"Today's my tenth birthday. Big brother beat you when he was ten, so I thought…" Izuna mumbled, scratching his spiky head.
"Your birthday, huh?" Gin raised a brow.
"It's just a day. Nothing special," Izuna said quietly. In these war-torn times, few celebrated birthdays—just surviving was enough.
"How can that be? Come on, help me carry the groceries in. I'll cook you something good."
Gin waved him inside, then glanced at the unconscious Senju kid and muttered, "Who's this weird-haired brat?"
"Don't worry about it. Inside, inside," Gin said dismissively, hoisting the boy and hurrying Izuna inside.
In the kitchen, Gin set to work with practiced skill, while in the living room Izuna squatted down and poked at the unconscious Senju Itama.
When he got no response, Izuna playfully pinched the boy's nose. As the kid's face turned red from lack of air, he suddenly gasped awake.
"Wha—who are you?!" Itama shouted hoarsely, his eyes full of alarm.
"I should be asking you," Izuna replied coolly, standing over him.
"My brother says when you ask someone's name, you give yours first!" the little Senju shot back indignantly.
"Ha! My brother said that too!" Izuna retorted.
"My brother dares—"
"My brother dares more—"
The childish bickering escalated.
Pulling back the curtain, Gin walked out carrying two dishes and said dryly, "Enough. Whoever can name more of their brother's virtues gets the first bite."
(End of Chapter)
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